Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Caraguatatuba Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Caraguatatuba

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $821 in Caraguatatuba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,320 in Caraguatatuba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,819 in Caraguatatuba.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 67% more expensive than in Caraguatatuba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Caraguatatuba is 40% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$7.31 R$37.69

-52.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$28.18 R$145

28.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$8.09 R$41.69

-29.42%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$2.23 R$11.50

19.73%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$1.18 R$6.10

48.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.92 R$4.72

-5.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$2.38 R$12.24

23.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$3.14 R$16.18

43.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$0.97 R$5.01

67.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.51 R$7.78

54.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.31 R$6.75

-15.27%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$1.92 R$9.87

14.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$5.89 R$30.34

200.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$3.09 R$15.91

32.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$7.64 R$39.34

59.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$2.08 R$10.70

78.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$1.76 R$9.08

-9.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$1.42 R$7.34

60.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$1.51 R$7.76

29.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$1.28 R$6.61

49.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$0.75 R$3.88

210.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$0.66 R$3.39

53.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$0.76 R$3.93

-27.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$2.03 R$10.46

9.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$6.62 R$34.11

248.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$1.47 R$7.57

64.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$2.43 R$12.50

23.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$0.95 R$4.91

-71.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

$22.80 R$117

-60.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$1.11 R$5.70

-56.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$0.69 R$3.56

-37.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$3.48 R$17.90

62.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.27 R$6.55

-37.01%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$14.9K R$76.8K

67.33%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$29.0K R$149.6K

9.21%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$64.5 R$332

26.35%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$12.90 R$66.5

-49.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$22.19 R$114

-15.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$20.94 R$108

171.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

$15.33 R$79.0

22.18%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$7.94 R$40.90

-42.82%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$481 Rp 8.5M

$212 R$1,094

126.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$4,066 R$20.9K

40.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$54.2 R$279

-15.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$55.4 R$285

-35.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$74.6 R$384

7.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$57.5 R$296

36.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$415 R$2,140

168.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$226 R$1,165

208.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$855 R$4,403

325.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$520 R$2,680

233.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

$1,622 R$8,355

71.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

$1,130 R$5,822

102.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$333 R$1,715

-49.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

8.15

69.08%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Caraguatatuba: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $415 in Caraguatatuba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Caraguatatuba pays 98% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $28.00 in Caraguatatuba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $171 per month, with Caraguatatuba cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ubud, Bali vs Caraguatatuba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Caraguatatuba is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment. The 67% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 98% lower in Caraguatatuba. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $415 in Caraguatatuba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 73% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Caraguatatuba – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $821 in Caraguatatuba versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Caraguatatuba but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Caraguatatuba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Caraguatatuba is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Caraguatatuba are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Caraguatatuba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.